The McAuley Catholic High School
Doncaster, DN3 3QF · Doncaster · secondary school
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15th of 20 secondary schools in Doncaster we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 3.7/10 against 807 of them, against 3.4/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 35.5 · 26 | 30% | 0.77 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.06 · 46 | 25% | 1.14 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 41.9 · 28 | 10% | 0.28 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
The McAuley Catholic High School overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted following an inspection in 2024. In 2024/25, 34.6% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 42.5, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.06 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (4.1 out of 10 against similar schools, 3.5 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,431 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,730. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to close the gap between their Attainment 8 score and the national median? What specific steps are taken to improve Progress 8 scores for students from similar backgrounds?
What Ofsted said about The McAuley Catholic High School
Overview
The McAuley Catholic High School is judged as ‘Good’ across all inspection categories, marking significant improvement from its previous ‘Requires improvement’ rating. Leaders have successfully addressed prior issues, creating a ‘calm environment’ where pupils are ‘well cared for’ and achieve well in external examinations. The school fosters a strong community spirit, with pupils enjoying school and benefiting from robust pastoral support and a broad curriculum.
Strengths
- Pupils ‘enjoy school’ and benefit from ‘strong pastoral systems’ that support full participation in the school community.
- The ‘sixth-form provision is a strength’, offering a diversified range of subjects and helping students develop ‘secure knowledge’.
- Curriculums in subjects such as science and art are ‘carefully planned’, with knowledge building in complexity over time.
- Staff act ‘swiftly and effectively’ to resolve incidents of bullying, maintaining positive behaviour and attitudes.
- Leaders have a ‘clear understanding’ of the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enabling effective support.
Areas to improve
- In some lessons, work is ‘not well matched to the aims of the curriculum’, limiting how effectively pupils learn key knowledge.
- The school misses opportunities to adapt the curriculum to address gaps in knowledge, particularly regarding ‘fundamental British values’ in PSHE.
- Quality assurance procedures are not ensuring that improvement initiatives are ‘consistently implemented’.
Safeguarding
The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 45.6 |
| 2024/25 | 42.5 |
| 2025/26 | 41.9 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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